Lost Change

Chapter 67

I got up and flew to the other sunbeam for what must have been the millionth time that day... then paused and lifted my head to look towards the window. Had that been...?

I jumped into the air and hovered before the window to double check, then did a backflip and let out a happy trill. "Minna!"

My Kymari was walking down the sidewalk outside the house. Her hands were full of various bags. She looked towards the window, probably noticing my flash of movement, and I saw her frustrated expression suddenly turn to a smile. She started walking faster and turned out of my view to approach the house.

I flew down onto the windowsill and pressed my head against the glass to get a better angle. I watched until Minna moved out of sight of even that view, then flew from the window. I didn't have access to whatever room the front door opened into, but I could at least get to one of the hallways that led to that side of the house.

A small voice inside me said I was just acting like a silly dog excited to see its friend coming home, and that my tail might as well have been wagging at the speed of sound. It bothered me a little, on some distant level, and made me a tiny bit nervous about what somebody else might think if they saw... but I pushed those fears away.

I was excited to see Minna. It had been annoying to go so much of the day alone and apart from her. I was glad that it was finally done.

And I had seen how happy my excited wheeling had made Minna. Against that, what did it matter what somebody else might think?

I landed in front of the door that I guessed led to the part of the house Minna would come in at. I heard a gentle chime, followed by a muffled 'ding' that I knew signified the door opening. I hopped in place, eager to be back around my friend again. Maybe we could get out of this stuffy house and do something, too; I was more than tired of being stuck inside it.

I thought I heard footsteps beyond the door, but they didn't seem to be coming closer. I heard a door open somewhere away from me, then another... then I heard the sound of bags being set down in another room, this one behind me. I turned and flew back to the living room.

Minna was there!

I chirped out a happy greeting and flew around her in excitement. She laughed and put down the last bag she was carrying, then held up her hand in a fist. I landed on the precarious perch, leaning against her knuckles and warbling up at her. "Welcome back!!"

Her smile grew wider and she reached her free hand up to stroke along my back. "I missed you, too." She gave me another pat, then lifted me up to her shoulder. "Come on - I need to check in with Loreena, then we can go outside for the rest of the day. I'm sure you're ready to get some fresh air by now."

I shifted to Minna's shoulder, being careful not to scratch her unprotected hand with my claws, and settled down on the padded fabric - Minna must have put one of the thicker shirts she usually wore around me in her carry-on luggage, or else gotten one from Trenil. I was able to stretch my legs and flex my hands and feet without worrying about scratching anything.

Minna picked two of the bags up and brought them to her room, then came back for the last three. I tried to glance in the bags to see what Trenil had given us, but everything was wrapped up in something that seemed to be the Kymari equivalent of bubble wrap. No amount of leaning or stretching my neck offered any clue as to the contents.

Once she had everything settled Minna walked back through the hallways and knocked on one of the closed doors. "Loreena?"

There was a shuffling sound somewhere beyond the door, then it cracked open. Loreena peeked out, then carefully stepped out into the hallway. She eyed me nervously as she did, and immediately closed the door behind her, as if terrified I would dart through the opening and incinerate everything in the room beyond.